C-17 Globemaster carrying medical supplies touches down in Nagaland

Dimapur, April 11 (EMN): An Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft C-17 Globemaster carrying 3.3 ton of medical supplies and equipment for Nagaland state touched down in Dimapur Airport at around 1.23 pm on Saturday.

The C-17 Globemaster, IAF’s largest transport aircraft manufactured by Boeing with a capacity to airlift up to 70 ton, landed at Dimapur Airport on April 11 with the fourth consignment of critical medical supplies related to Covid-19 for Nagaland state, according to the media cell of Nagaland State Management Disaster Authority (NSDMA).

The aircraft left Dimapur Airport for Hindon at around 3.39 pm on the same day.

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio also took to social media to announce the latest consignment of medical supplies for the state.

NSDMA advisor Kazheto Kinimi, received the critical medical load at the airport, thanked “the IAF team and crew working under high risk conditions for the continuous support given to Nagaland State Government during the fight against Covid-19 pandemic”, read the statement from NSDMA.

“Considering the difficult terrain and inherent connectivity issue faced by the Naga people, such pro-active preparedness and cohesive coordination and co-operation by various multiple nodal agencies was the need of the hour,” Kinimi said.

He went on to say that through central government’s support to Nagaland government and collective efforts of the people, the state was able to adopt “adequate targeted mitigation measures” and the department is in the position to “reduce the scale of any impending disaster in the state”.

Kinimi also expressed hope that Air support by MoD and NSDMA, especially in the interior part of the state, if need arises, would be a positive step and boost capabilities to tackle any disaster.

It may be mentioned that Hindon-based C-17 Globemaster aircraft manufactured by Boeing of 81 Sqadron ‘SKYLORDs’ with strategic capabilities and special operations including quick special troops and equipment mobilisation, had recently undertook a few missions including flying to Wuhan in China, the epicentre of Covid-19, to drop medical aid and evacuate stranded Indian nationals, as well as on similar missions to Iran.

“Today we received another consignment of medical equipments and accessories brought by Indian Air Force plane to Dimapur from New Delhi and the consignment is being brought to Kohima for further distribution to the districts,” Principal Secretary, Home, Abhijit Sinha, informed in a statement.